what does

[Offroad]

Dear teachers...

could you please comment on the "smoothness" of the following sentences?

What does water in our watches mean?
What does it mean when we have water in our watches?

Thanks

 

[bhaisahab]

Dear teachers...

could you please comment on the "smoothness" of the following sentences?

What does water in our watches mean?
What does it mean when we have water in our watches?

Thanks

They are unusual sentences, it's not really clear what they are trying to say.

 

[Offroad]

They are unusual sentences, it's not really clear what they are trying to say.

Mmm... that is probably because I had just made them up. Let us change the context:

What does money in our dreams mean?
What does it mean when we have money in our dreams?
What does it mean when we dream about money?

Many thanks

 

[bhaisahab]

Mmm... that is probably because I had just made them up. Let us change the context:

What does money in our dreams mean?
What does it mean when we have money in our dreams?
What does it mean when we dream about money?

Many thanks

The best one, the one that reads most naturally, is #3.

 

[Offroad]

The best one, the one that reads most naturally, is #3.

I paid close attention to the first one. It sounded strange to me. I just could not find what is wrong with it.

And I agree with you, sentence 3 is the best one!

 

[Offroad]

How about this one?

 

[bhaisahab]

How about this one?

I would prefer this: What does it mean when we dream about clowns?

 

[Tdol]

Dear teachers...

could you please comment on the "smoothness" of the following sentences?

What does water in our watches mean?
What does it mean when we have water in our watches?

Thanks

The second is better IMO, though they are both unusual without a wider context.

 

[tedtmc]

What does water in our watches mean?
What does it mean when we have water in our watches?

I think it is referring to the condensation which forms on the inside of the glass of the watch due to ingress of water which is quite common. It means water has water has entered the watch.

 

[Offroad]

I think it is referring to the condensation which forms on the inside of the glass of the watch due to ingress of water which is quite common. It means water has water has entered the watch.

Thanks... but as I said previously... the original sentences were made up, and its meaning ended up beeing confuse. So I got two more, easier to understand!

1. What does money in our dreams mean?
2. What does it mean when we have money in our dreams?
3. What does it mean when we dream about money?

My point is, regardless people may use sentence #1, I wouldn't. Sentence #3 is much better! The sentence with the clown was taken from a famous webpage.

 

[Raymott]

Thanks... but as I said previously... the original sentences were made up, and its meaning ended up beeing confuse. So I got two more, easier to understand!

1. What does money in our dreams mean?
2. What does it mean when we have money in our dreams?
3. What does it mean when we dream about money?

My point is, regardless people may use sentence #1, I wouldn't. Sentence #3 is much better! The sentence with the clown was taken from a famous webpage.

The problem with 1. is that it can also mean, "What does 'money in our dreams' mean?". "What is the meaning of 'money in our dreams'?"

Since few people know how to put quotes around a quote, sentences such as 1. are often ambiguous.